List of governors of Minnesota facts for kids

The official seal of Minnesota, representing the state government.

The governor of Minnesota is like the principal of the entire state of Minnesota! They are the main leader of the state government's executive branch. Their most important job is to make sure that state laws are followed and that the government runs smoothly for everyone.

So far, 41 people have served as governor of Minnesota. One of them, Rudy Perpich, was governor more than once, but not in a row. Before Minnesota became a state, it was a territory. Three governors were chosen by the President of the United States to lead the Minnesota Territory. The very first one, Alexander Ramsey, later became a state governor too!

The person who is governor right now is Tim Walz. He is part of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and started his term on January 7, 2019.

Early Governors: Minnesota Territory

Before Minnesota became a state, it was known as the Minnesota Territory. This territory was officially set up on March 3, 1849. The governors of the territory were chosen by the President of the United States, not by the people living there.

Governors of Minnesota Territory

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointed by
1		Alexander Ramsey (1815–1903)	June 1, 1849 – April 1, 1853 (successor appointed)	Taylor, ZacharyZachary Taylor
2		Willis A. Gorman (1816–1876)	April 1, 1853 – March 13, 1857 (successor appointed)	Pierce, FranklinFranklin Pierce
3		Samuel Medary (1801–1864)	March 13, 1857 – May 24, 1858 (statehood)	Buchanan, JamesJames Buchanan

Governors of the State of Minnesota

Minnesota officially became a state on May 11, 1858. When it became a state, the Minnesota Constitution was created. This important document set up the jobs of governor and lieutenant governor. At first, these two leaders were elected separately for two-year terms. But starting in 1963, their terms were made longer, to four years. Since 1974, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected together on the same "ticket," meaning you vote for both of them at the same time.

Governors of the State of Minnesota

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			Henry Hastings Sibley (1811–1891)	May 24, 1858 – January 2, 1860 (did not run)	Democratic	1857		Holcombe, WilliamWilliam Holcombe
2			Alexander Ramsey (1815–1903)	January 2, 1860 – July 10, 1863 (resigned)	Republican	1859		Donnelly, Ignatius L.Ignatius L. Donnelly
						1861		Swift, Henry AdoniramHenry Adoniram Swift
3			Henry Adoniram Swift (1823–1869)	July 10, 1863 – January 13, 1864 (did not run)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
4			Stephen Miller (1816–1881)	January 13, 1864 – January 8, 1866 (did not run)	Republican	1863		Sherwood, Charles D.Charles D. Sherwood
5			William Rainey Marshall (1825–1896)	January 8, 1866 – January 7, 1870 (did not run)	Republican	1865		Armstrong, Thomas H.Thomas H. Armstrong
						1867
6			Horace Austin (1831–1905)	January 7, 1870 – January 9, 1874 (did not run)	Republican	1869		Yale, William H.William H. Yale
						1871
7			Cushman Kellogg Davis (1838–1900)	January 9, 1874 – January 7, 1876 (did not run)	Republican	1873		Barto, AlphonsoAlphonso Barto
8			John S. Pillsbury (1827–1901)	January 7, 1876 – January 9, 1882 (did not run)	Republican	1875		Wakefield, JamesJames Wakefield
						1877
						1879		Gilman, Charles A.Charles A. Gilman
9			Lucius Frederick Hubbard (1836–1913)	January 9, 1882 – January 5, 1887 (did not run)	Republican	1881
						1883
10			Andrew Ryan McGill (1840–1905)	January 5, 1887 – January 9, 1889 (lost nomination)	Republican	1886		Rice, Albert E.Albert E. Rice
11			William Rush Merriam (1849–1931)	January 9, 1889 – January 4, 1893 (did not run)	Republican	1888
						1890		Ives, Gideon S.Gideon S. Ives
12			Knute Nelson (1843–1923)	January 4, 1893 – January 31, 1895 (resigned)	Republican	1892		Clough, David MarstonDavid Marston Clough
						1894
13			David Marston Clough (1846–1924)	January 31, 1895 – January 2, 1899 (did not run)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1896		Gibbs, John L.John L. Gibbs
14			John Lind (1854–1930)	January 2, 1899 – January 7, 1901 (lost election)	Democratic	1898		Smith, Lyndon A.Lyndon A. Smith
15			Samuel Rinnah Van Sant (1844–1936)	January 7, 1901 – January 4, 1905 (did not run)	Republican	1900
						1902		Jones, Ray W.Ray W. Jones
16			John Albert Johnson (1861–1909)	January 4, 1905 – September 21, 1909 (died in office)	Democratic	1904
						1906		Eberhart, Adolph OlsonAdolph Olson Eberhart
						1908
17			Adolph Olson Eberhart (1870–1944)	September 21, 1909 – January 6, 1915 (lost nomination)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1910		Gordon, Samuel Y.Samuel Y. Gordon
						1912		Burnquist, Joseph A. A.Joseph A. A. Burnquist
18			Winfield Scott Hammond (1863–1915)	January 6, 1915 – December 30, 1915 (died in office)	Democratic	1914
19			Joseph A. A. Burnquist (1879–1961)	December 30, 1915 – January 5, 1921 (did not run)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1916		Frankson, ThomasThomas Frankson
						1918
20			J. A. O. Preus (1883–1961)	January 5, 1921 – January 7, 1925 (did not run)	Republican	1920		Collins, Louis L.Louis L. Collins
						1922
21			Theodore Christianson (1883–1948)	January 7, 1925 – January 7, 1931 (did not run)	Republican	1924		Nolan, William I.William I. Nolan
						1926
						1928		Adams, Charles EdwardCharles Edward Adams
22			Floyd B. Olson (1891–1936)	January 7, 1931 – August 22, 1936 (died in office)	Farmer-Labor	1930		Arens, Henry M.Henry M. Arens
						1932		Solberg, Konrad K.Konrad K. Solberg
						1934		Petersen, HjalmarHjalmar Petersen
23			Hjalmar Petersen (1890–1968)	August 22, 1936 – January 4, 1937 (did not run)	Farmer-Labor	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
24			Elmer Austin Benson (1895–1985)	January 4, 1937 – January 3, 1939 (lost election)	Farmer-Labor	1936		Lindsten, GottfridGottfrid Lindsten
25			Harold Stassen (1907–2001)	January 3, 1939 – April 27, 1943 (resigned)	Republican	1938		Anderson, C. ElmerC. Elmer Anderson
						1940
						1942		Thye, Edward JohnEdward John Thye
26			Edward John Thye (1896–1969)	April 27, 1943 – January 8, 1947 (did not run)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1944		Anderson, C. ElmerC. Elmer Anderson
27			Luther Youngdahl (1896–1978)	January 8, 1947 – September 27, 1951 (resigned)	Republican	1946
						1948
						1950
28			C. Elmer Anderson (1912–1998)	September 27, 1951 – January 5, 1955 (lost election)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1952		Nelsen, AncherAncher Nelsen
								Wright, Donald O.Donald O. Wright
29			Orville Freeman (1918–2003)	January 5, 1955 – January 4, 1961 (lost election)	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	1954		Rolvaag, KarlKarl Rolvaag
						1956
						1958
30			Elmer L. Andersen (1909–2004)	January 4, 1961 – March 25, 1963 (lost election)	Republican	1960
31			Karl Rolvaag (1913–1990)	March 25, 1963 – January 2, 1967 (lost election)	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	1962		Keith, SandySandy Keith
32			Harold LeVander (1910–1992)	January 2, 1967 – January 4, 1971 (did not run)	Republican	1966		Goetz, James B.James B. Goetz
33			Wendell R. Anderson (1933–2016)	January 4, 1971 – December 29, 1976 (resigned)	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	1970		Perpich, RudyRudy Perpich
						1974
34			Rudy Perpich (1928–1995)	December 29, 1976 – January 1, 1979 (lost election)	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Olson, Alec G.Alec G. Olson
35			Al Quie (1923–2023)	January 1, 1979 – January 3, 1983 (did not run)	Independent- Republican	1978		Wangberg, LouLou Wangberg
36			Rudy Perpich (1928–1995)	January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991 (lost election)	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	1982		Johnson, MarleneMarlene Johnson
						1986
37			Arne Carlson (b. 1934)	January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999 (did not run)	Independent- Republican	1990		Dyrstad, JoanellJoanell Dyrstad
						1994		Benson, JoanneJoanne Benson
38			Jesse Ventura (b. 1951)	January 4, 1999 – January 6, 2003 (did not run)	Reform/ Independence	1998		Schunk, MaeMae Schunk
39			Tim Pawlenty (b. 1960)	January 6, 2003 – January 3, 2011 (did not run)	Republican	2002		Molnau, CarolCarol Molnau
						2006
40			Mark Dayton (b. 1947)	January 3, 2011 – January 7, 2019 (did not run)	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	2010		Solon, Yvonne PrettnerYvonne Prettner Solon
						2014		Smith, TinaTina Smith (resigned January 2, 2018)
							Vacant
								Fischbach, MichelleMichelle Fischbach (took office May 25, 2018)
41			Tim Walz (b. 1964)	January 7, 2019 – Incumbent	Democratic- Farmer-Labor	2018		Flanagan, PeggyPeggy Flanagan
						2022

See also

• List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections
• List of lieutenant governors of Minnesota
• First ladies of Minnesota
• List of Minnesota state legislatures